Vietnam received global praise for its effective way of handling the coronavirus pandemic. After a week with no new coronavirus cases, the country's government had just eased its social distancing initiative of 22 days, thus allowing some businesses to reopen on April 23.
Vietnam's effectiveness
As soon as the restrictions were eased, the streets of Vietnam slowly came back to life. More vehicles were on the road and local shopkeepers are now opening their doors to customers. Domestic tourism is also resuming as airlines saw an increase in flight schedules and hotels are reopening in the country.
Since the start of the pandemic, Vietnam only had less than 300 cases of COVID-19 and no deaths. This country acted faster than most Western nations as it shut its borders with China immediately in January after the first case was detected. Vietnam also suspended visas to prevent foreigners from entering the country.
What allowed Vietnam to flatten the curve more effectively than most developed nations is the country's fast and knowledgeable management, pair with the government's strict policies. Because of this, they were able to slowly and safely lift restrictions in stages.
Areas like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City that are considered high-risk areas, had tighter rules, including the closure of non-essential businesses like tea houses, sporting events, bars, karaoke venues, and more, while gatherings of more than 10 people were banned.
Although there were still restrictions that remain in place, on May 15, Ho Chi Minh City lifted the ban on certain entertainment facilities and non-essential businesses, including cinemas, pubs, and spas. Hanoi reopened its historical attractions to visitors while walking streets and markets in its popular Hoan Kiem District reopened on Friday.
After opening in stages, the country is now back to its old self, even though only 75% of businesses have reopened and everyone is wearing masks in public. Unlike the United States, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom where the virus has taken thousands of lives, the pandemic in Vietnam only seems like a blip.
Investing in tourism
The pandemic has forced so many businesses to close down, but those in the tourism and hospitality industry are the ones who got hit the hardest. According to multiple local media reports, Vietnam lost $7 billion in tourism revenue in January-February.
The recovery is focused on domestic tourism, the Ministry of Transport started to increase domestic flights and trains to major destination with limited passenger capacity on April 23. However, a lot of hotels decided to remain closed until mid-May or later because of the lack of tourists, while some tour operators will remain closed until later this year.
Extreme but necessary measures
The first coronavirus case was confirmed on January 23 in Vietnam, and immediately the country's emergency plan was placed into action. Vietnam enacted measures that other countries would take months to move on, like bringing in travel restrictions, closely monitoring and closing the border with China, and increasing health checks at borders and other places that are vulnerable to the virus. Schools across the country were closed for the Lunar New Year holiday and they will remain close until mid-May.
